Château de Castelnaud overlooking the river Dordogne, France

Château de Castelnaud overlooking the river Dordogne, France

Castles usually come with towers, walls and at least one dramatic story. Château de Castelnaud in France has plenty of all three, plus medieval weapons. Rising around 150 metres above the Dordogne Valley, this 13th-century fortress commands views towards Château de Beynac and Périgord Noir. Its story is anything but quiet. During the Hundred Years' War, Castelnaud changed allegiance several times before French forces captured it after a three-week siege in 1442. Centuries later, the neglected fortress was used as a stone quarry before restoration began in 1965.

Today, this privately owned property is home to the Museum of Medieval Warfare, where hundreds of weapons and pieces of armour sit alongside full-size siege engines. One of them is a trebuchet designed to hurl stone balls weighing up to 100 kilograms. So, while the Dordogne River looks peaceful from the castle, Castelnaud's displays offer a reminder that this was once serious military territory.